July 22, 2009

Obama: Cambridge police 'acted stupidly'

For the last question of this evening's news conference, President Obama was asked to talk about the arrest of Henry Louis Gates, Jr. Obama began by saying he might be a bit biased because Gates is a friend. But the president also said that the Cambridge police "acted stupidly." Did the president go too far? Here's an excerpt of what he said:

"Now, I don't know, not having been there and not seeing all the facts, what role race played in that. But I think it's fair to say, number one, any of us would be pretty angry. Number two, that the Cambridge police acted stupidly in arresting somebody when there was already proof that they were in their own home. And, number three, what I think we know separate and apart from this incident is that there is a long history in this country of African Americans and Latinos being stopped by law enforcement disproportionately. That's just a fact. ...

"That doesn't lessen the incredible progress that has been made. I am standing here as testimony to the progress that's been made. And yet the fact of the matter is, is that, you know, this still haunts us. And even when there are honest misunderstandings, the fact that blacks and Hispanics are picked up more frequently and often time for no cause casts suspicion even when there is good cause. And that's why I think the more that we're working with local law enforcement to improve policing techniques so that we'reeliminating potential bias, the safer everybody is going to be."

Did the president go too far by saying the Cambridge police acted "stupidly?"

Comments

I think the race issue is aggervated by Jackson, Sharpton and the like. Some poloice do harass "civilians" white, black or any other race you might add. But Gates is now a proven race baiter and to defend him now is to further the race baiting debate. It has been established that race played no role in this other than is Gates and Obama's minds. There are many racist blacks as there are many racist whites, hispanics ect. the only difference is the only ones who are cqlled racist for being proud of their race is whites why is that? Black Pride, African-, Hispanic-, Chinese-, and the next perfix you want, but white pride is racist?? Come on...

I am white. I try to be progressive, refuse to worship ANYBODY's orthodoxy.

I wasn't sure how I felt about this case, until I read the police report. Now I am absolutely sure - the police officer acted stupidly. He had his chance to say whatever he wanted, and there is nothing in the police report that moves me in his direction. Gates didn't say anything that I might not have said in the same circumstances. There was no threat here to anybody or anything but the officer's ego. And I am pretty certain that these events would not have occurred as they did if Gates hadn't been Black.

It's even stereotypically insulting (to both, in different ways) that it's the Harvard maintenance man who ID's him in the report. I'll bet the President of Harvard knows Prof. Gates too.

Here's the real problem, folks. When the white majority (soon to be minority, but I'm guessing still holding the reins of power kind of South African apartheid era phenomena--and how many slaves lived in the white-controlled Old South, anyway...?) has opinions like the following, we're still a long way from being able to discuss the issue of race honestly:

"...the issue of race in this country remains simmering on the front burner because individuals such as Mr. Gates choose to perpetuate it."

Catch that, my brothers & sisters? Race is an issue because uppity nigras like Gates and Obama and Sharpton and Jesse Jackson, etc, etc keep talking about it--not because racism exists, not because of the actual institutional/cultural bias working its magic on the actual, everyday ground, but because these loudmouths who "play the race/victim card" are keeping it alive!

Wow!

Only in America could an entire nation of docile consumers not only be completely ignorant of its own (recent!) history, but also be perfectly content to let the establishment (as in power structure--$$) media frame reality in such easy to digest, absolutely fictional bites. It's like those nutrient-free Lunchables that our kids are supposed to love--the same exact phenomenon, really--but which information and the squirmy paste of Truth as the entree for the "grown ups."

What would the marketing geniuses call this processed truth meat? Munchables? I've-got-an-ill-informed-Hunchable?

Morons.

Read.

A.

Book.

(Please?)

But not the kind that sell so well, 'cuz you know what that means...don't you?

(Now here's a fun activity. Conduct an informal poll: try to get everyone you meet to tell you what the last book they read was--author, title, short synopsis, everything. Then extrapolate from there and discovery the real rate of literacy in the greatest, richest country the world has ever known...)

The officer asked Gates to step outside after Gates was identified as the homeowner for Gates safety. The officer still didn't know if an intruder was in the house unbeknownst to Gates. The cop protected a black man's property, tried to protect the black man himself, was recommended by his black boss to teach a class on racial profling, and he's still a racist.

The president commenting on this after he already said he didn't know all the facts was a bad move. It didn't help his choriographed press conference too much. Did you catch when the Pres made the comment in the press conference to the reporter about being in Cleveland today. That was because a reporter from Cleveland was supposed to ask the question for a nice easy segway, all rehearsed and fuzzy. Problem was the reporter that asked the question wasn't the reporter from Cleveland. They had that all planned and it blew up in their face.

The officer asked Gates to step outside after Gates was identified as the homeowner for Gates safety. The officer still didn't know if an intruder was in the house unbeknownst to Gates. The cop protected a black man's property, tried to protect the black man himself, was recommended by his black boss to teach a class on racial profling, and he's still a racist.

The president commenting on this after he already said he didn't know all the facts was a bad move. It didn't help his choriographed press conference too much. Did you catch when the Pres made the comment in the press conference to the reporter about being in Cleveland today. That was because a reporter from Cleveland was supposed to ask the question for a nice easy segway, all rehearsed and fuzzy. Problem was the reporter that asked the question wasn't the reporter from Cleveland. They had that all planned and it blew up in their face.

He's absolutely brilliant! We are talking about this instead of Health Care Reform!!!! He sets the questions and the order in advance and this is exactly what he wanted to happen and exactly how he expected us to react. Absolute Brilliance. I'm angry!

Please read the narrative of the incident, and do us all the great pleasure of educating yourself before you chose to leave uninformed commentary. "The whole point of this story is that the arrest happened AFTER Gates showed ID to the cops." - This is not the point at all, sir. The professor was arrested on a charge of disorderly conduct - not breaking and entering or refusing to comply with an officer. He was harassing a Sgt. of the Cambridge Police Department and would not stop after numerous requests to calm down. Unfortunately, the issue of race in this country remains simmering on the front burner because individuals such as Mr. Gates choose to perpetuate it. And shame on the President for commenting on an issue in which he does "not have all the facts," and is admittedly bias.

Gates just got back from China. He's tired. Even if he yelled at the cop (and there is no law against that) the cop should have taken the high ground and just left. Walk away.But no, we have another nazi cop.

Yes, calling police "acted stupidly" was not a diplomatic answer, even if that may be the right answer. I can see the Republicans may try to take advantage of this in coming days. Good old Washington - politics as usual.

As for right or wrong, the charge to arrest Gates was "disorderly conduct in a public space". When did a man's home become a public space?

I think what really happened was that Gates and police, each with their ego, started escalating the situation to the point that Sgt decided, heck, I will show you and arrested Gates. Now, Gates may be wrong, but police officers are supposed to keep a cool head and defend the law! There is no law that says one must show respect to a police officer in his own home!

OMG "Bashful Bob" -
Spare us the "Men of great character" lecture...try reading the story before blaming the victim. I'm referring to your statement "professor made a mistake when he refused to identify himself" The whole point of this story is that the arrest happened AFTER Gates showed ID to the cops.

It is unfortunate for the president to "act stupidly" without knowing all the facts. I would hope that if I was caught breaking into my house that I would be asked to show ID.
Instead of making about race - make it about respect - and Gates did not respect the law, or the police that were there trying to make sure that the person breaking into a house actually belonged there.

It is unfair to blame police for the wrong doings in the country - they get way too much blame for doing their job - regardless of if the cop is black or white. Cops gets abused everyday, and last night the president of the USA did just that in front of the whole country - shame on you.

Gates is a race baiter, and so is Obama. They see the world as if it is still 1952. I am a black woman, and I just pray the cops show up if they think someone is breaking into my home. Gates acted as if he was above having to show his I.D., asked the officers if they "Knew who they were messing with..", became beligerent, and only after all that, showed I.D. Race baiter.

How did they president go too far?A reporter asked him the question and Im sure it had been on his mind,i know I have been thinking about it since hearing it on the radio.So what if the President made a comment that isn't to everyone's liking?Isn't that America is all about?Why question why Gates got upset???Imagine trying to get back into YOUR car and someone calling in a "car theft",even thought you can show proof of ownership??Being of two races,like Gates, I can honestly say I can see why he would get heat for saying the quip about being a "black man in america".Ive had friends tell me im not "black enough" to not worry about racial profiling,but how could they know that being well-spoken and having good vocabulary puts a target on me just as much as the next person of color?Obama gave a first-thought opinion of a situation that is more and more common throughout the world if not in our country.Other countries do the same for foreign nationals,and he is probably aware of this.I have been unjustly ticketed after being pulled over,but I personally believe that those cops were typically lazy,bored,jaded,and slacking in performance.(By the way,Gates was more than likely upset at the fact that a NEIGHBOR called the police on him)

When people rail against so-called "racial profiling," they conveniently omit the most relevant aspect. Black males perpetrate a vastly disproportionate amount of street crime in this country. Anyone belonging to a group with this track record is going to get special scrutinization from law enforcement officials. It doesn't stem from some irrational emotion that compels police to harrass black people. If the Amish commited this amount of crime, then the Amish would be especially scrutinized, or Chinese or Pakastanis, or anyone else. Certainly, this situation is tragic for innocent Black men, but it's understandable. And if Blacks are angry about it -- and certainly should be -- then they should direct their rage at the right target -- Blacks who commit this plethora of crime and stigmatize an entire community. Police are only doing their job.

Race aside...I am an older white woman, and voted for Obama because I felt he was the right person for the job of president. I am not prejudice. However, I feel once again he has spoken out of context for the being the leader of our nation. In my book he now has two strikes against him. 1) for the Special Olympics remark, and now the 2) "police acted stupidly" remark. Look at the most wanted in Florida and many other states. What do you see? Hispanics and Blacks. Police Officers face danger each and every day. Many also have to endue verbal abuse. Thank you officers for protecting and living by the oaths that you had taken. Mr. President, please get the full story, sir before you make any more remarks that I feel are hurtful. I believe you should apologize to the officer. Sir, you sure will not get my vote-good ecomomy or not.

It is my impression that the Cambridge police went too far. But then, I don't have an awful lot of respect for police in the first place. They are largely bullies with far too much impunity when they do act like bullies -- which is far too often.

But the Prez needs to keep his nose out of it; this is shaping up to be a legal issue and having the Prez toss in his two cents' worth can do nothing but prejudice the case. It reminds me of when Nixon declared "Manson Guilty As Hell" during the Manson Family trial. Of course they were, but it's not for the Prez to declare.

The question in this forum is "Did the president go too far by saying the Cambridge police acted "stupidly?", and the answer is yes. By prefacing his remarks with "Now, I don't know, not having been there and not seeing all the facts...", he spoke as if he DID know. That's a rush to judgement, which I don't think he would normally endorse.

Couching this story, at least for now, in the context of race relations, is premature. It sure makes a sexier story, though, dosen't it?

The question in this forum is "Did the president go too far by saying the Cambridge police acted "stupidly?", and the answer is yes. By prefacing his remarks with "Now, I don't know, not having been there and not seeing all the facts...", he spoke as if he DID know. That's a rush to judgement, which I don't think he would normally endorse.

Couching this story, at least for now, in the context of race relations, is premature. It sure makes a sexier story, though, dosen't it?

I voted for the man, but I am disappointed that he appears to be bringing race into many discussions and also seems to be forgetting he is 1/2 white. He should be smart enough to not get wrapped up in conversation that will ultimately lead to a racial issue. If he keeps it up, I think people will start to think they made a mistake in voting for him. Obama was the one the acted stupidly!

Should have kept his mouth shut!! Likes to blow on the fire!
Sounds to me like all these guys had to do was show ID? Did they do that? Guess next time you see a possilbe break in you just let them do it! - Wish someone had said something when someone broke into my home and took my iMac 2 yrs ago. Just can't do anything anymore to help.

About this forum

Dawn Turner Trice: "We have a moment in history to have a national discussion about race. We should seize it and try to mine it for what it's worth. I want this to be a safe place where people of all races can explore their views and biases, openly and honestly."Go to "about this forum"

Questions and Answers

What question would you ask of a person of a different race? Send us your race questions. Answer others' questions in the forum. Go to "questions and answers"